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Magazine

Kim Dotcom launches Mega

In January 2012 the larger-than-life cyber pioneer and founder of the file-sharing site Megaupload Kim Dotcom was arrested with three colleagues in a dawn raid at the sprawling multi-million dollar mansion he shares with his wife and five children in Coatesville, New Zealand. Known as Operation Takedown, the swoop involved 76 armed police, special agents and helicopters. The German-born internet tycoon was subsequently charged with online piracy after film producers in the US claimed Megaupload was being used to illegally share copyrighted material. Dotcom argues that he can't be held responsible for copyright infringement committed by others, and insists Megaupload complied with copyrights by removing links to pirated material when asked. Mr Dotcom is currently fighting extradition to the US, a process that has been held up since New Zealand authorities declared the warrants used for the arrest were invalid. One year later after the arrest Kim Dotcom is back with a new file-sharing site, Mega. He launched the new cloud service storage site at his Dotcom Mansion.

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Kim Dotcom speaks during an interview with Reuters in Auckland. NIGEL MARPLE/REUTERS